Display Device

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to display devices, and more specifically, a display device including a display panel including an active area and a non-active area surrounding the active area and including a pad area, a driving integrated circuit disposed in the pad area, a stiffener disposed between the driving integrated circuit and the active area, spaced apart from the driving integrated circuit, and disposed to surround a portion of a lateral surface of the driving integrated circuit, and a color-changing layer having a color, disposed to surround a portion, or all, of the lateral surface of the driving integrated circuit, and overlapping with at least a portion of an upper surface of the stiffener. As the display device includes the color-changing layer, even without separate measurement equipment, quality and a process condition or situation of the display device can be easily checked or identified.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/243,292 filed on Apr. 28, 2021 which claims the priority benefit ofRepublic of Korea Patent Application No. 10-2020-0128938, filed on Oct.6, 2020 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, each of which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to display devices, and morespecifically, to a display device for implementing a narrow bezel andfor protecting a driving integrated circuit.

Description of the Background

As the information-oriented society has been developed, various needsfor display devices for displaying an image have increased. Recently,various types of display devices, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD)device, a plasma display panel (PDP) device, and an organic lightemitting diode (OLED) display device, have been utilized.

In order to increase display areas of such display devices or to improveaesthetics thereon, research on reducing a width of a bezel area is inprogress.

However, in actual, it is not easy to design a structure to reduce sucha bezel area, and when designing a structure to reduce a size of thebezel area, a defect can be caused in which a driving circuit is damagedby an external force.

Further, there is a difficulty for securing a desired quality ofassociated configurations or elements for preventing the damage ofdriving circuits.

SUMMARY

A display device includes a display pane, and at least one drivingcircuit (e.g., a driving integrated circuit) may be located in a padarea of the display panel. Such a driving circuit may be damaged byforeign substances or crack due to external force.

Further, in the case of the driving circuit bonded to the display panel,there is a high probability that bonding defects, such as being liftedfrom the display panel or being torn, can occur.

There is a substantial difficulty for securing a desired quality ofassociated configurations or elements for preventing the damage ofdriving circuits.

Further, in a situation where a printed circuit is bonded to the displaypanel, a pad portion of the display panel can be inevitably increased.Therefore, there is a problem that a size of a corresponding bezel areais increased.

To address such issues, a display device is disclosed with a new surfaceand a method for manufacturing for configuring the display device withthe new surface that is capable of protecting a driving circuit disposedin a display panel while reducing a size of the bezel area and athickness of the display device, and reducing the occurrence of amalfunction of the display device due to static electricity.

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a displaydevice is provided that is capable of reducing a thickness of anon-active area of the display device while reducing a size of a bezelarea.

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a displaydevice is provided that is capable of protecting a driving circuit fromforeign substances or external force.

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a displaydevice is provided that is capable of easily securing a desired qualityof associated configurations or elements for preventing the damage ofdriving circuits.

Problems or drawbacks to be solved of the present disclosure are notlimited to the above description, and other problems or drawbacks to besolved of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilledin the art from the following description.

In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a displaydevice is provided that includes a display panel including an activearea, and a non-active area surrounding the active area and including apad area, and at least one driving integrated circuit is disposed in thepad area. The display device includes a stiffener disposed between thedriving integrated circuit and the active area, spaced apart from thedriving integrated circuit, and disposed to surround a portion of alateral surface of the driving integrated circuit, and a color-changinglayer disposed to surround at least a portion, or all, of the lateralsurface of the driving integrated circuit, and overlapping with aportion of an upper surface of the stiffener.

In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a displaydevice is provided that includes a display panel including an activearea, and a non-active area surrounding the active area and including apad area. At least one driving integrated circuit is disposed in the padarea of the display panel. Further, the display panel includes astiffener disposed in the display panel, and disposed between thedriving integrated circuit and the active area, a flexible printedcircuit disposed in an edge of the display panel in the non-active area,and spaced apart from the driving integrated circuit, a color-changinglayer having a color, disposed to surround the driving integratedcircuit, and disposed on a portion of an upper surface of the stiffenerand a portion of an upper surface of the flexible printed circuit, andan antistatic member disposed on the driving integrated circuit and thecolor-changing layer. Here, the color-changing layer includes at leastone of a first pigment whose color changes according to a change intemperature and a second pigment whose color changes according to awavelength change of light.

In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, as a drivingintegrated circuit is disposed in a display panel without a separatesubstrate, there are produced effects of reducing a size of a bezelarea.

Further, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, as astiffener is disposed to surround a portion of a lateral surface of thedriving integrated circuit, even when external force is applied to thedisplay panel, there are produced effects of preventing the drivingintegrated circuit from being detached from a lower substrate.

Further, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, as aprocess condition or situation of the color-changing layer can bechecked through a color of the color-changing layer, even when a defectin the color-changing layer occurs, there are produced effects ofallowing wrong process conditions to be quickly corrected.

Further, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, as thecolor-changing layer has a color, and thus, a location, a thickness, andthe like of the color-changing layer can be checked with the eyes of theinspector, thus, even without separate measurement equipment, there areproduced effects of allowing quality of the color-changing layer to bechecked.

Further, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, as thecolor-changing layer is disposed to surround the entire lateral surfaceof the driving integrated circuit, there are produced effects ofreducing the penetration of foreign substances to the driving integratedcircuit.

Effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above describedeffects, and other effects of the present disclosure will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a display device according to aspectsof the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a region of a display panel in which adriving transistor is disposed in a state where a portion of the displaypanel is bent according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along with line A-B of FIG. 1according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a bonding layer in a displaydevice according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a process of disposing a color-changinglayer according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates characteristics of a color-changing layer accordingto one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates characteristics of a color-changing layer accordingto another embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along with line C-D of FIG. 2according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The advantages and features of the present disclosure and methods ofachieving the same will be apparent by referring to embodiments of thepresent disclosure as described below in detail in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited tothe embodiments set forth below, but may be implemented in variousdifferent forms. The following embodiments are provided only tocompletely disclose the present disclosure and inform those skilled inthe art of the scope of the present disclosure, and the presentdisclosure is defined only by the scope of the appended claims.

In addition, the shapes, sizes, ratios, angles, numbers, and the likeillustrated in the accompanying drawings for describing the exemplaryembodiments of the present disclosure are merely examples, and thepresent disclosure is not limited thereto. Like reference numeralsgenerally denote like elements throughout the present specification.Further, in the following description of the present disclosure,detailed description of well-known functions and configurationsincorporated herein will be omitted when it is determined that thedescription may make the subject matter in some embodiments of thepresent disclosure rather unclear. The terms such as “including”,“having”, “containing”, and “comprising of” used herein are generallyintended to allow other components to be added unless the terms are usedwith the term “only”. Singular forms used herein are intended to includeplural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

In interpreting any elements or features of the embodiments of thepresent disclosure, it should be considered that any dimensions andrelative sizes of layers, areas and regions include a tolerance or errorrange even when a specific description is not conducted.

Spatially relative terms, such as, “on”, “over”, “above”, “below”,“under”, “beneath”, “lower”, “upper”, “near”, “close”, “adjacent”, andthe like, may be used herein to describe one element or feature'srelationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in thefigures, and it should be interpreted that one or more elements may befurther “interposed” between the elements unless the terms such as“directly”, “only” are used.

Time relative terms, such as “after”, “subsequent to”, “next to”,“before”, or the like, used herein to describe a temporal relationshipbetween events, operations, or the like are generally intended toinclude events, situations, cases, operations, or the like that do notoccur consecutively unless the terms, such as “directly”, “immediately”,or the like, are used.

When the terms, such as “first”, “second”, or the like, are used hereinto describe various elements or components, it should be considered thatthese elements or components are not limited thereto. These terms aremerely used herein for distinguishing an element from other elements.Therefore, a first element mentioned below may be a second element in atechnical concept of the present disclosure.

The elements or features of various exemplary embodiments of the presentdisclosure can be partially or entirely bonded to or combined with eachother and can be interlocked and operated in technically various ways ascan be fully understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art,and the various exemplary embodiments can be carried out independentlyof or in association with each other.

Hereinafter, discussions will be conducted on various features orconfigurations of a display device according to embodiments of thepresent disclosure, with reference with the accompanying drawings.

A display device according to aspects of the present disclosure includesa display panel including an active area, and a non-active areasurrounding the active area and including a pad area. At least onedriving integrated circuit is disposed in the pad area. The displaydevice includes a stiffener disposed between the driving integratedcircuit and the active area, spaced apart from the driving integratedcircuit, and disposed to surround a portion of a lateral surface of thedriving integrated circuit, and a color-changing layer disposed tosurround a portion, or all, of the lateral surface of the drivingintegrated circuit, and overlapping with a portion of an upper surfaceof the stiffener.

Further, the color-changing layer of the display device may include amatrix curing according to a change in temperature applied to a materialincluded in the color-changing layer, and a pigment whose color changesaccording to a change in temperature.

The color-changing layer may include two types of pigments whose colorschange in respective temperature ranges different from each other.

Here, the pigments may not return to their original respective colorsafter such original colors are changed according to a change intemperature or a change in a wavelength of light.

Further, a display device according to aspects of the present disclosuremay include a flexible printed circuit disposed in a portion of a padarea of a display panel, for example, one side, or an edge, of the padpanel, and spaced apart from the driving integrated circuit.

A portion of the color-changing layer may extend from a regioncorresponding to a lateral surface of a driving integrated circuit up toa portion of an upper surface of the flexible printed circuit.

Such a color-changing layer may be disposed to expose all or at least aportion of an upper surface of the driving integrated circuit.

An antistatic member for reducing static electricity may be disposed onthe upper surface of the driving integrated circuit.

The antistatic member may be disposed on the color-changing layer, anddisposed on at least a portion of an upper surface of the flexibleprinted circuit.

The antistatic member may be electrically connected to ground disposedin the flexible printed circuit.

Further, a display device according to aspects of the present disclosuremay include a bending area located in a non-active area of a displaypanel, and a coating layer disposed in the bending area.

The coating layer may be disposed to be spaced apart the stiffener.

Further, a display device according to aspects of the present disclosuremay include a bonding layer disposed between the driving integratedcircuit and the display panel.

The bonding layer may contact all, or at least a portion, of the lateralsurface of the driving integrated circuit.

Further, a display device according to aspects of the present disclosureincludes a display panel including an active area, and a non-active areasurrounding the active area including a pad area. At least one drivingintegrated circuit is disposed in the pad area of the display panel.Further, the display panel includes a stiffener disposed in the displaypanel, and disposed between a driving integrated circuit and the activearea, a flexible printed circuit disposed in an edge of the displaypanel in the non-active area, and spaced apart from the drivingintegrated circuit, a color-changing layer having a color, disposed tosurround the driving integrated circuit, and disposed on a portion of anupper surface of the stiffener and a portion of an upper surface of theflexible printed circuit, and an antistatic member disposed on thedriving integrated circuit and the color-changing layer. Here, thecolor-changing layer includes at least one of a pigment whose colorchanges according to a change in temperature and a pigment whose colorchanges according to a wavelength change of light.

A display device according to aspects of the present disclosure mayinclude a liquid crystal module LCM including a display panel and one ormore drivers for driving the display panel, an organic light emittingdiode (OLED) module, a quantum dot module, or the like. Further, thedisplay device according to aspects of the present disclosure mayinclude equipment displays including notebook computers, televisions,computer monitors, automotive displays, other forms of vehicles etc.that are complete products or final products including the LCM, the OLEDmodule, the QD module etc., set electronic devices such as mobileelectronic devices etc., such as smartphones, electronic pads etc., orset devices (or set apparatuses)

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, variousembodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a display device according to aspectsof the present disclosure. FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a region ofa display panel in which a driving transistor is disposed in a statuswhere a portion of the display panel is bent according to aspects of thepresent disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the display device 100 includes a display panel110, a driving integrated circuit 140, and a flexible printed circuit145.

The display panel 110 may include a lower substrate 120 and an uppersubstrate 130.

Various types of display panels, such as, a liquid crystal displaypanel, an organic light emitting display panel, a quantum dot displaypanel, an electroluminescent display panel, and the like may be used asdisplay panels 110 according to embodiments herein.

For example, in a situation where the organic light emitting displaypanel is employed as the display panel, such display panel may include aplurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines, and pixelsdisposed in regions in which each gate line and each data line intersecteach other. Further, the display panel may include an array of thin filmtransistors that are elements for selectively applying voltages to eachpixel, organic light emitting diodes on or over the array of thin filmtransistors, an encapsulation substrate or an encapsulation layerdisposed to cover the organic light emitting diodes, and the like.

Such a display panel 110 may include an active area AA in which imagesare displayed and a non-active area NA surrounding the active area AA.

The gate lines and the data lines are disposed in the active area AA ofthe display panel 110, and sub-pixels defined by the gate lines and thedata lines are arranged in the active area AA.

The non-active area NA of the display panel 110 includes a pad area PAfor the electrical connection of at least one driving integrated circuit140 and a flexible printed circuit 145.

At least one driving integrated circuit 140 may be disposed in the padarea PA of the display panel 110.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the pad area PA of the display panel 110 may bedisposed in at least one portion of the lower substrate 120, such abottom edge, a lateral edge, or the like. Further, the drivingintegrated circuit 140 may be disposed in the pad area PA located in thelower substrate 120 of the display panel 110.

The driving integrated circuit 140 may include a data driving circuitfor driving data lines. The driving integrated circuit 140 may furtherinclude a gate driving circuit for driving gate lines. The drivingintegrated circuit 140 may further include a timing controller forcontrolling the data driving circuit and the gate driving circuit.

Meanwhile, in a situation where the display device 100 is atouch-sensible device, the display device 100 may further include atouchscreen panel in which touch sensors are disposed.

The touchscreen panel may be an external type in which the touchscreenpanel is present outside of the display panel 110, or an embedded typein which the touchscreen panel is present inside of the display panel110.

Thus, when the display device 100 is a touch-sensible device, thedriving integrated circuit 140 may further include a touch sensingcircuit for sensing a touch input.

A plurality of pads may be disposed in the pad area PA of the displaypanel 110 according to embodiment herein, and at least one drivingintegrated circuit 140 may be disposed on or over one or more of thepads.

A bonding layer may be disposed between the plurality of pads and thedriving integrated circuit 140. The driving integrated circuit 140 maybe bonded to the lower substrate 120 through the bonding layer, and atthe same time, the driving integrated circuit 140 may be electricallyconnected to one or more pads located in the pad area PA. In otherwords, the bonding layer can serve to bond the driving integratedcircuit 140 to the lower substrate 120.

The bonding layer may be an anisotropic conductive film (ACF). However,embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. Forexample, the bonding layer may include a matrix that is formed of aresin, and conductive balls in the matrix.

For example, the bonding layer disposed between the driving integratedcircuit 140 and the lower substrate 120 may be a film type, for example,an anisotropic conductive film (ACF), or the like.

Although not shown in drawings, link lines formed by the extending ofsignal lines, such as data lines and gate lines or touch lines (signallines connected to touch sensors), arranged in the display area AA maybe disposed in the pad area PA of the display panel 110.

The driving integrated circuit 140 may be electrically connected to padsthat are connected to link lines disposed in the pad area PA of thedisplay panel 110.

The flexible printed circuit 145 according to embodiments herein may bedisposed in the pad area PA of the display panel 110. Here, the flexibleprinted circuit 145 may be disposed to be spaced apart from the drivingintegrated circuit 140, or be electrically connected to the drivingintegrated circuit 140 through signal lines disposed in the pad area PA.

As described above, the display panel 110 according to embodimentsherein has a structure in which the driving integrated circuit 140 isdisposed on or over the lower substrate 120 of the display panel 110,other than a structure in which a substrate or a film on which thedriving integrated circuit 140 is mounted is electrically connected onor over the lower substrate 120 of the display panel 110.

Accordingly, as a substrate or a film on which the driving integratedcircuit 140 is mounted is not employed, there are produced effects ofreducing a width of the non-display area NA (or a bezel width.

The display device 100 according to embodiments herein may include abending area located in the non-active area NA. In the bending area, acoating layer 160 may be disposed on the lower substrate 120 of thedisplay panel 110.

The coating layer 160 may be formed of an organic material. When thelower substrate 120 is bent, the coating layer 160 can cause severaltypes of lines disposed in the bending area BA to be located to becloser to a neutral plane; as a result, serve to reduce tensile stressand shrinkage stress that may be received by such lines. Further, thecoating layer 160 can serve to prevent such several types of lines frombeing exposed to moisture and oxygen. Here, the several types of linesmay be lines connected to the lines (or signal lines) disposed in thepad area PA.

The display panel 110 of the display device 100 may be bent in a bendingdirection in the bending area BA. Here, the bending of the display panel110 in a bending direction may mean that a region in which the coatinglayer 160 is disposed on the lower substrate 120 of the display panel110 is bent or folded toward a rear surface of the lower substrate 120,

When the display panel 110 according to embodiments herein is bent inthe bending area BA, as shown in FIG. 2 , the driving integrated circuit140 may be disposed to correspond to the rear surface of the lowersubstrate 120.

When an organic light emitting display panel is used as the displaypanel 110, the lifetime of an organic light emitting element disposed inthe display panel 110 may be reduced due to heat generated from thedriving integrated circuit 140, and as a result, defects of the displaypanel may be caused. For example, a stain on the panel may be visibledue to deterioration of the organic light emitting element.

In contrast, as in the display device 100 according to embodimentsherein, when the display panel 110 is bent in the bending area BA, asthe driving integrated circuit 140 is located to correspond to the rearsurface of the lower substrate 120, a distance between the drivingintegrated circuit 140 and a corresponding organic light emittingelement may be increased; thus, it is possible to prevent the occurrenceof a phenomenon in which the lifetime of the organic light emittingelement is shortened.

Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a stiffener 150 may bedisposed on or over one surface of the lower substrate 120 of thedisplay panel 110.

The stiffener 150 may be disposed in the non-active area NA of thedisplay device 100, and disposed between the driving integrated circuit140 disposed in the non-active area NA and the active area AA of thedisplay device 100.

In one embodiment, the stiffener 150 may be disposed between the drivingintegrated circuit 140 and the polarizing plate 135.

Although FIG. 1 illustrates a structure in which the polarizing plate135 is disposed on or over the upper substrate 130 of the display panel110. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limitedthereto. For example, the polarizing plate 135 may be disposed on therear surface of the lower substrate 120 of the display panel 110, or insome embodiments, the polarizing plate may not be disposed in an upperportion and a lower portion of the display panel 110.

Accordingly, the stiffener 150 may produce an effect of preventing orreducing the likelihood of the driving integrated circuit 140 from beingdetached without adversely affecting, such as covering the active areaAA. The stiffener 150 may be a plate or tape including at least one typeof metal. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limitedthereto.

For example, the stiffener 150 may be formed of stainless steel,however, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.

The stiffener 150 is disposed on one surface of the lower substrate 120on which the driving integrated circuit 140 is disposed. Further, thestiffener 150 may be spaced apart from the driving integrated circuit140, and may be disposed to surround a portion of a lateral surface ofthe driving integrated circuit 140. The stiffener 150 may be disposed ata location corresponding to the portion of the lateral surface of thedriving integrated circuit 140 while not contacting the drivingintegrated circuit 140.

Meanwhile, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrates that the driving integrated circuit140 has a rectangular shape in plan view. However, a shape of thedriving integrated circuit 140 according to embodiments herein is notlimited thereto. For example, the driving integrated circuit 140 mayhave various shapes such as a polygonal shape, a linear shape, acircular shape, an elliptical shape, or the like in plan view.

Herein, for convenience of discussions, it is assumed that the drivingintegrated circuit 140 in plan view has a rectangular structure.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the stiffener 150 may be disposed tosurround three lateral surfaces of the driving integrated circuit 140.In this instance, the stiffener 150 may be disposed to surround theother lateral surfaces except for a lateral surface of the drivingintegrated circuit 140 disposed in a direction facing the flexibleprinted circuit 145.

A structure of the stiffener 150 according to embodiments herein is notlimited thereto. For example, the stiffener 350 may be disposed tosurround at least one lateral surface of the driving integrated circuit140. The stiffener 350 may not be disposed in a region corresponding toa lateral surface of the driving integrated circuit 140 facing theflexible printed circuit 145. However, embodiments of the presentdisclosure are not limited thereto.

As the stiffener 150 is disposed to surround a portion of at least onelateral surface of the driving integrated circuit 140, the drivingintegrated circuit 140 bonded on or over the lower substrate 120 can beprevented or reduce the likelihood from being detached from the lowersubstrate 120 by an external force.

In a situation where the driving integrated circuit 140 is directlyattached to the lower substrate 120 through a bonding layer, there is aprobability that an external force may be applied to the lower substrate120 in the process of disposing another element (for example, anantistatic member 180) on or over the lower substrate 120. As a result,the lower substrate 120 may be deformed or bent, and the drivingintegrated circuit 140 may be detached from the lower substrate 120.

However, in the display device 100 according to embodiments herein, asthe stiffener 150 is disposed to surround a portion of one or morelateral surfaces of the driving integrated circuit 140 on the lowersubstrate 120 of the display panel 110, even when an external force isapplied to the display panel 110, the driving integrated circuit 140 canbe prevented from being detached from the lower substrate 120 becausethe stiffener 150 can hold the deformation or bending of the lowersubstrate 120 of the display panel 110.

Further, as the stiffener 150 and the driving integrated circuit 140 aredisposed to be spaced apart from each other, electrical and mechanicaldamage to the driving integrated circuit 140 can be reduced due tointerference between the stiffener 150 and the driving integratedcircuit 140.

Further, embodiments of the present specification may include acolor-changing layer 170 surrounding a portion, or all, of one or morelateral surfaces of the driving integrated circuit 140.

The color-changing layer 170 according to embodiments herein may have aheight for allowing the driving integrated circuit 140 to be fixed tothe display panel 110 while surrounding all, or a portion, of one ormore lateral surfaces of the driving integrated circuit 140. Here, theheight (or maximum height) of the color-changing layer 170 may be agreatest length based on a direction in which a first conductive film410 and the driving integrated circuit 140 are stacked, among regionsdisposed on the display panel 110.

Here, the color-changing layer 170 may contact a portion, or all, of oneor more lateral surfaces of the driving integrated circuit 140. However,embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. Forexample, while the color-changing layer 170 is disposed to surround oneor more lateral surfaces of the driving integrated circuit 140, anelement such as another resin (for example, an adhesive resin) may befurther disposed in at least a partial region between the color-changinglayer 170 and the driving integrated circuit 140.

The color-changing layer 170 can prevent or reduce penetration ofmoisture in one or more lateral surfaces of the driving integratedcircuit 140.

The color-changing layer 170 may be disposed in a region correspondingto a lateral surface of the driving integrated circuit 140, and extendto be disposed in a portion of an upper surface of the stiffener 150. Aportion of the color-changing layer 170 may also be disposed in a regionbetween the driving integrated circuit 140 and the stiffener 150 in thenon-active area NA.

Further, the color-changing layer 170 may be disposed in a regioncorresponding to a lateral surface of the driving integrated circuit140, and extend to be disposed in a portion of an upper surface of theflexible printed circuit 145. A portion of the color-changing layer 170may also be disposed in a region between the driving integrated circuit140 and the flexible printed circuit 145 in the non-active area NA.

The color-changing layer 170 may be disposed to expose all or at least aportion of an upper surface of the driving integrated circuit 140.

An antistatic member 180 may be disposed on the upper surface of thedriving integrated circuit 140. The antistatic member 180 may beattached to the upper surface of the driving integrated circuit 140 byincluding a bonding member.

The antistatic member 180 disposed on the driving integrated circuit 140may be attached to a portion of the upper surface of the stiffener 150and the upper surface of the color change layer 170.

In a plan view, an area of the antistatic member 180 may be larger thanan area of each of the driving integrated circuit 140 and thecolor-changing layer 170. Accordingly, the antistatic member 180 maycover the upper surfaces of the driving integrated circuit 140 and thecolor-changing layer 170 and may overlap with a portion of the uppersurfaces of the stiffener 150.

The antistatic member 180 can serve to discharge static electricitygenerated in the driving integrated circuit 140.

Further, as the antistatic member 180 has a structure that is bonded toa portion of the upper surface of the stiffener 150, thereby heatgenerated from the driving integrated circuit 140 can be transferred tothe stiffener 150, and thus, the driving integrated circuit 140 canprevented from being damaged due to the heat.

Specifically, when the display panel 110 is driven, the antistaticmember 180 can serve to enable some of heat generated from the drivingintegrated circuit 140 to be conducted to one or more other elements(for example, the stiffener 150), and enable the remaining heat to bedischarged to the outside.

Further, as the antistatic member 180 is also attached to the uppersurfaces of the driving integrated circuit 140 and the color-changinglayer 170, the aesthetics on associated elements may be improved.

Further, referring to FIG. 1 , the antistatic member 180 may include atleast one extension part 181 formed on one side thereof.

For example, the antistatic member 180 may include an extension part 181formed on one side of the antistatic member 180. The extension part 181may form a single body with the antistatic member 180. However,embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. Forexample, the extension part 181 may be an element separated from theantistatic member 180.

The extension part 181 may be disposed on the flexible printed circuit145.

The antistatic member 180 may be connected to the driving integratedcircuit 140 by being attached to the upper surface of the drivingintegrated circuit 140, and also be connected to the flexible printedcircuit 145 through the extension part 181.

The antistatic member 180 may be electrically connected with grounddisposed in the flexible printed circuit 145. Through this, it ispossible to protect the driving integrated circuit 140 from staticelectricity.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along with line A-B of FIG. 1according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of abonding layer in a display device according to aspects of the presentdisclosure.

Hereinafter, in describing embodiments of the present disclosure, forconvenience of description, descriptions of elements or configurationsequal or corresponding to the embodiments described above will not berepeatedly performed. Display devices according to embodiments hereinwill be described with reference to drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 , a display device 100 includes a displaypanel 110 including a lower substrate 120 and an upper substrate 130, apolarizing plate 135 disposed on the display panel 110, and a drivingintegrated circuit 140 disposed in the non-active area NA of the panel110, a flexible printed circuit 145, a stiffener 150, a coating layer160, a color-changing layer 170, and an antistatic member 180.

In the display device 100 according to embodiments herein with referenceto FIGS. 3 and 4 , the display panel 110 including the lower substrate120 and the upper substrate 130, the polarizing plate 135 disposed onthe display panel 110, the driving integrated circuit 140 disposed inthe non-active area NA of the display panel 110, the flexible printedcircuit 145, the stiffener 150, the coating layer 160, thecolor-changing layer 170, and the antistatic member 180 may be equal tothe display panel 110 including the lower substrate 120 and the uppersubstrate 130, the polarizing plate 135 disposed on the display panel110, the driving integrated circuit 140 disposed in the non-active areaNA of the display panel 110, the flexible printed circuit 145, thestiffener 150, the coating layer 160, the color-changing layer 170, andthe antistatic member 180, which are described with reference to FIGS. 1and 2 , respectively.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the driving integrated circuit 140 is disposed onthe lower substrate 120 of the display panel 110 in the non-active areaNA, and a first bonding layer 310 may be disposed between the drivingintegrated circuit 140 and the lower substrate 120.

The first bonding layer 310 is disposed in a region between the lowersubstrate 120 and the driving integrated circuit 140, and serves to bondthe driving integrated circuit 140 to the lower substrate 120 of thedisplay panel 110.

The first bonding layer 310 may electrically connect between a pluralityof pads located in a pad area of the display panel 110 and a pluralityof pads of the driving integrated circuit 140. To do this, the firstbonding layer 310 may include an adhesive resin (or resin) and aconductive material (e.g., conductive particles).

The stiffener 150 may be disposed between the driving integrated circuit140 and the active area AA in the non-active area of the display panel110. The stiffener 150 may be attached to the lower substrate 120 of thedisplay panel 110 through a second bonding layer 320.

The coating layer 160 may be disposed on the lower substrate 120 in thenon-active area NA, and may be disposed to be spaced apart from thestiffener 150.

When the coating layer 160 is disposed on the upper surface of thestiffener 150, a step may occur on an upper surface of the stiffener 150due to a material of the coating layer 160. However, when a step isplaced on the upper surface of the stiffener 160, there is a probabilitythat a defect occurs in an outer edge of the antistatic member 180disposed on a portion of the upper surface of the stiffener 150 mayoccur.

In the display device according to embodiments herein, as the coatinglayer 160 and the stiffener 150 are spaced apart from each other, thereare produced effects of preventing the occurrence of appearance defectsof the antistatic member 180 due to a step difference caused by thecoating layer 160.

Further, a color-changing layer 170 may be disposed on the display panel110.

The color-changing layer 170 may be disposed to surround all, or aportion, of one or more lateral surfaces of the driving integratedcircuit 140. Further, the color-changing layer 170 may be disposed tosurround all of one or more lateral surfaces of the first bonding layer310 disposed beneath the driving integrated circuit 140. Thecolor-changing layer 170 may contact all, or a portion, of one or morelateral surfaces of the driving integrated circuit 140, and contact allof one or more lateral surfaces of the first bonding layer 310.

As the color-changing layer 170 has a structure surrounding all, or aportion, of one or more lateral surfaces of the driving integratedcircuit 140, even when an external force is applied to the displaydevice 100, the color-changing layer 170 can serve to prevent or reducedeformation of the driving integrated circuit 140 or from being detachedfrom the display panel 110.

In other words, the color-changing layer 170 may serve to fix thedriving integrated circuit 140 to the display panel 110 together withthe stiffener 150. Further, the color-changing layer 170 may prevent orreduce penetration of moisture into one or more lateral surfaces of thedriving integrated circuit 140.

The color-changing layer 170 may be disposed in a region correspondingto a portion of one or more lateral surfaces of the driving integratedcircuit 140, and extend to be disposed in a portion of an upper surfaceof the stiffener 150. A portion of the color-changing layer 170 may alsobe disposed in a region between the driving integrated circuit 140 andthe stiffener 150 in the non-active area NA.

Further, the color-changing layer 170 may be disposed in a regioncorresponding to a portion of one or more lateral surfaces of thedriving integrated circuit 140, and extend to be disposed in a portionof an upper surface of the flexible printed circuit 145. A portion ofthe color-changing layer 170 may also be disposed in a region betweenthe driving integrated circuit 140 and the flexible printed circuit 140in the non-active area NA.

Further, the color-changing layer 170 may be disposed to expose theupper surface of the driving integrated circuit 140. In other words, thecolor-changing layer 10 may not overlap with at least a portion of theupper surface of the driving integrated circuit 140.

The flexible printed circuit 145 may be disposed in an outer edge of thelower substrate 120 in the non-active area NA. The flexible printedcircuit 145 may be bonded to the lower substrate 120 through a thirdbonding layer 330. The third bonding layer 33 may serve to electricallyconnect between the flexible printed circuit 145 and at least one paddisposed on the lower substrate 120. To do this, the third bonding layer330 may include an adhesive resin (or resin) and a conductive material(e.g., conductive particles).

The color-changing layer 170 may be disposed in a region correspondingto one or more lateral surfaces of the driving integrated circuit 140,and extend to be disposed in a portion of the upper surface of thestiffener 150. Further, the color-changing layer 170 may be disposed tocontact a region corresponding to one or more lateral surfaces of thedriving integrated circuit 140, and extend to contact a portion of theupper surface of the flexible printed circuit 145.

A maximum height H of the color-changing layer 170 may be 0.17 mm orless. However, as this is merely an example value, embodiments of thepresent disclosure are not limited thereto. For example, a maximumheight H of the color-changing layer 170 according to the embodimentsherein may be in a range from half the sum of a height of the firstbonding layer 310 and a height of the driving integrated circuit 140 tothe sum of the height of the first bonding layer 310 and the height ofthe driving integrated circuit 140.

Here, the maximum height of the color-changing layer 70 may be agreatest length based on a direction in which a first conductive film410 and the driving integrated circuit 140 are stacked, among regionsdisposed on the display panel 110.

A location and a height of the color-changing layer 170 may bedetermined according to an amount of a material included thecolor-changing layer 170.

However, in the process of forming the color-changing layer 170, when alarge amount of material of the color-changing layer 170 is applied, thematerial of the color-changing layer 170 may cover up to at least aportion of the upper surface of the driving integrated circuit 140. Inthis situation, the color-changing layer 170 may act as an element thatinterferes with the connection between the driving integrated circuit140 and the antistatic member 180, or the driving integrated circuit 140may be damaged due to a step difference caused by the material of thecolor-changing layer 170 when the antistatic member 180 is connected.

Further, in the process of forming the color-changing layer 170, when asmall amount of the material of the color change layer 170 is applied,the color change layer 170 may be formed to expose the most of one ormore lateral surfaces of the driving integrated circuit 140. In thissituation, since the driving integrated circuit 140 cannot be properlyfixed, the driving integrated circuit 140 may be removed from the lowersubstrate 120 or foreign substances may penetrate the driving integratedcircuit 140.

Therefore, the material of the color-changing layer 170 is needed to bedisposed so that the color-changing layer 170 can be disposed tocorrespond to all, or a portion, of one or more lateral surfaces of thedriving integrated circuit 140. Further, when the material of thecolor-changing layer 170 is disposed on the lateral surface 120 with anappropriate amount, a portion of the color-changing layer 170 may covera portion of the upper surface of the stiffener 150, and another portionof the color-changing layer 170 may cover a portion of the upper surfaceof the flexible printed circuit 145.

In this manner, as the color-changing layer 170 is disposed tocorrespond to all, or a portion, of one or more lateral surfaces of thedriving integrated circuit 140, and at the same time, extends to aportion of the upper surface of the flexible printed circuit 145, whilefixing the driving integrated circuit 140 to the lower substrate 120,the color-changing layer 170 can produce an effect of preventingunnecessary movement of the flexible printed circuit 145 or detachmentfrom the lower substrate 120.

FIG. 3 illustrates a structure in which the first bonding layer 310 isdisposed only beneath the driving integrated circuit 140. However,however, the display device according to embodiments herein is notlimited thereto.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4 , the first bonding layer 410 may bedisposed on the rear surface of the driving integrated circuit 140 andextend to be disposed in a region corresponding to all, or a portion, ofone or more lateral surfaces of the driving integrated circuit 140. Inthis situation, the first bonding layer 410 may contact all, or aportion, of one or more lateral surfaces of the driving integratedcircuit 140.

A thickness of the first bonding layer 410 disposed in a regioncorresponding to one or more lateral surfaces of the driving integratedcircuit 140 may decrease as a distance from the lower substrate 120increases. Here, the thickness of the first bonding layer 410 may be alength between the top and rear surfaces of the first bonding layer 410based on a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the firstbonding layer 410 and the driving integrated circuit 140 are stacked.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the first bonding layer 410 may be disposed betweenthe driving integrated circuit 140 and the color-changing layer 170 inone or more regions corresponding to one or more lateral surfaces of thedriving integrated circuit 140. The first bonding layer 410 and thecolor-changing layer 170 can prevent or reduce penetration of moistureinto one or more lateral surfaces of the driving integrated circuit 140,and even when an external force is applied to the display device 100,the driving integrated circuit 140 110 can be prevented from beingdetached from the display panel 110.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the first bonding layers 310 and410 and the color-changing layer 170 may be disposed to expose the uppersurface of the driving integrated circuit 140.

An antistatic member 180 may be disposed on the upper surface of thedriving integrated circuit 140.

Specifically, the antistatic member 180 may overlap with all of theupper surface of the driving integrated circuit 140, all of the uppersurface of the color-changing layer 170, a portion of the upper surfaceof the flexible printed circuit 145, and a portion of the upper surfaceof the stiffener 150.

A surface shape of the antistatic member 180 in a region overlappingwith the color-changing layer 170 may be determined according to asurface shape of the color-changing layer 170, which is disposed beneaththe antistatic member 180.

That is, in a situation where a portion in which the color-changinglayer 170 is formed and a portion in which the color-changing layer 170is not formed are coexist in a region between the stiffener 150 and thedriving integrated circuit 140 and a region between the flexible printedcircuit 145 and the driving integrated circuit 140, a portion having alarge step difference may exist, and this affects on the surface shapeof the antistatic member 180. As a result, defects in the surface of theantistatic member 180 may occur.

Therefore, an amount of a material included in the color-changing layer170 and a location at which the color-changing layer 170 is disposed areimportant in order to prevent the defects in the surface of theantistatic member 180.

As described above, in the embodiments herein, as the color-changinglayer 170 is disposed up to a portion of the upper surface of thestiffener 150 and a portion of the upper surface of the flexible printedcircuit 145, it is possible to prevent the defects in the surface of theantistatic member 180.

As described above, a height and a location of the color-changing layer170 affects on the reliability of the driving integrated circuit 140 andthe aesthetics of the display device 100.

Accordingly, it is necessary to check whether a material of thecolor-changing layer 170 used to form the color-changing layer 170 isdisposed on the display panel 110 in an appropriate amount, and evenafter the color-changing layer 170 is formed, it is necessary to checkwhether the color-changing layer 170 is formed at an appropriatelocation.

When the color-changing layer 170 is formed of transparent resin, it isdifficult to check a region where a material of the color-changing layer170 is disposed, and even after the color-changing layer 170 is formed,it is difficult to determine a location of the color-changing layer 170.Thus, even if a defect caused by the color-changing layer 170 occurs,there is a problem that it is difficult to determine such a defect.

However, since the color-changing layer 170 according to the embodimentsherein exhibits a color, even when a process for forming thecolor-changing layer 170 is performed and even after the disposing ofthe color-changing layer 170 is completed, it is possible to improvevisibility on a location and a height of the color-changing layer.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure related to theseissues will be specifically reviewed with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7 .

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a process of disposing a color-changinglayer according to aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 illustratescharacteristics of a color-changing layer according to one embodiment ofthe present disclosure. FIG. 7 illustrates characteristics of acolor-changing layer according to another embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

Referring to FIG. 5 , a color-changing layer material 570 may be appliedto a partial area of a lower substrate 120 of a display panel on which adriving integrated circuit 140, a flexible printed circuit 145, and astiffener 150 are disposed.

The color-changing layer 170 finally disposed on the display device 100according to aspects of the present disclosure may represent a color.The color of the color-changing layer 170 may be a color different fromthe material 570 used to form the color-changing layer 170.

In order to form the color-changing layer 170, a matrix curing accordingto a temperature change applied to the applied color-changing layermaterial 570 and a pigment changing to a specific color according tosuch a temperature change may be included in the display panel 110.

Here, the matrix may be formed of any one of polypropylene (PP),polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene(ABS), but embodiments of the present disclosure are not limitedthereto. For example, the matrix may be formed of any materials capableof dispersing the pigment. Further, the pigment may be a powder type.However, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.For example, the pigment may be a liquid type.

The color-changing layer material 570 may have a white color or anycolor, and then, change to a different color when it reaches apredetermined temperature, and thereafter, may not return to itsoriginal color.

Specifically, the color-changing layer material 570 may have a whitecolor or any color. Thereafter, when a temperature different from atemperature at which the color-changing layer material 570 has beenapplied is applied, the color-changing layer material 570 may cure, andat the same time, a color of the color-changing layer material 570 maychange to another color. As a result, the color-changing layer 170 mayhave a color different from the color-changing layer material 570.

The color-changing layer material 570 according to the embodimentsherein may have a range in which its color changes according totemperatures.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6 , the color-changing layer material 570may represent a first color in the range of −10° C. to 0° C. (more than,or equal to, −10° C. and less than 0° C.), a second color in the rangeof 0° C. to 10° C., a third color in the range of 10° C. to 20° C., afourth color in the range of 20° C. to 30° C., a fifth color in therange of 30° C. to 40° C., a sixth color in the range of 40° C. to 50°C., a seventh color in the range of 50° C. to 60° C., and an eighthcolor at a temperature of 60° C. or higher.

The colors according to the above-described temperature ranges aremerely examples. Therefore, colors of the color-changing layer material570 according to embodiments herein may be changed according to varioustemperature ranges. For example, a color of the color-changing layermaterial 570 may be changed according to a width of a temperature rangeof less than 10° C., or a width of a temperature range of 10° C. ormore. Further, as a temperature applied to the color-changing layermaterial 570 increases or decreases, a width of a temperature range inwhich a color of the color-changing layer material 570 changes may beincreased or decreased.

Further, as illustrated in FIG. 6 , as a temperature applied to thecolor-changing layer material 570 increases, a color of thecolor-changing layer 170 finally formed may become darker.

In other words, in the first to eighth colors of the color-changinglayer material 570, the eighth color may be the darkest color, and thefirst color may be the lightest color.

However, the colors shown in FIG. 6 (for example, red-based colors) aremerely examples, and colors of the color-changing layer material 570according to embodiments herein may have various colors, such as,yellow-based colors, and green-based colors, black-based colors, or thelike.

In a situation where a temperature is applied to the color-changinglayer material 570, when the color-changing layer material 570 includesa matrix material that can cure, the application of heat is needed toform the color-changing layer 170. In this process, the color-changinglayer material 570 may have a color in a temperature corresponding to atemperature in the process. When heat is applied to cure thecolor-changing layer material 570, as a color of the color-changinglayer material 570 may change, therefore, the color-changing layer 170finally formed may have a color darker than the color of thecolor-changing layer material 570.

In this instance, a range of temperature applied when the color-changinglayer 170 is formed can be predicted through a color of thecolor-changing layer 170 formed by using the color change layer material570.

Therefore, it may be easy to check the quality of the display device 100according to a degree of curing of the color-changing layer 170.

Specifically, in a situation where a degree of curing of thecolor-changing layer 170 is severe, and a property that is easy to bebroken (brittle property) is produced, and thereby, ability to absorbshock is poor, a probability that the driving integrated circuit 140 maybe also damaged by an external force applied from the outside mayincreases. Further, when a degree of curing of the color-changing layer170 is weak, the color change layer material 570 may not properly cureand may flow. In this situation, the color-changing layer material 570may penetrate to the upper surface of the driving integrated circuit140.

That is, it can be seen that the degree of curing of the color-changinglayer material 570 acts as a very important factor in terms of thequality of the display device 100. The color-changing layer 170according to embodiments herein may represent different colors dependingon a curing temperature, and in particular, a status of thecolor-changing layer 170 or the display device when a degree of curingis weak or severe can be immediately determined based on a color of thecolor-changing layer 170. Therefore, there is provided an advantage ofeasily perceiving the quality of the color-changing layer 170. Further,since this can be directly perceived by an inspector's eyes, separatemeasurement equipment is not required.

Further, since an appropriate curing temperature of the color-changinglayer material 570 can be easily determined, there is produced an effectthat an associated process setting becomes very simple.

Further, since the color-changing layer 170 finally formed has a color,there is provided an advantage of easily measuring a thickness and awidth of the color-changing layer 170. Through this, in a situationwhere the color-changing layer 170 is over-formed and disposed on theupper surface of the driving integrated circuit 140, or thecolor-changing layer 170 is formed in a narrow area and thus formed sothat the driving integrated circuit 140 cannot be properly fixed, it ispossible to easily identify such a status with only an inspector'sinspection without a separate inspection device.

Meanwhile, the color-changing layer material 570 according toembodiments herein may include at least two types of pigments differentfrom each other. For example, the color-changing layer material 570 mayinclude a first pigment whose color changes in a first temperaturerange, and a second pigment whose color changes in a second temperaturerange different from the first temperature range.

Here, the first pigment may be a pigment whose color changes in atemperature range at which the color-changing layer material 570 cures,and the second pigment may be a pigment whose color changes by heatgenerated from the driving integrated circuit 140.

For example, when it is assumed that the color-changing layer material570 cures in the range of 40° C. to 50° C., and the driving integratedcircuit 140 starts to be damaged at a temperature of 60° C. or higher,when the color-changing layer material 570 cures, due to the firstpigment, the color-changing layer 170 finally formed may have a colorresulting from the color changing of the first pigment. In addition,when heat generated from the driving integrated circuit 140 is 60° C. orhigher, a color of the color-changing layer material 170 may change dueto the second pigment.

Therefore, when a color-changing layer material 570 used to form thecolor-changing layer 170 includes two or more different pigments, it ispossible to identify a process temperature when the color-changing layer170 is formed, and a situation or time where excessive heat is generatedfrom the driving integrated circuit 140.

Meanwhile, the color-changing layer 170 of the display device 100according to aspects of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.For example, the display device 100 may include a matrix curingaccording to a wavelength of light applied on the display panel 110 toform the color-changing layer 170 and a pigment whose color changes to aspecific color according to a wavelength of light.

In this instance, a color of the color-changing layer material 570 maybe changed according to a wavelength range of light applied to thecolor-changing layer material 570.

For example, as shown in FIG. 7 , a color of the color-changing layermaterial 570 may be changed depending an ultraviolet ray, which is usedfor curing the color-changing layer material 570, among ultraviolet raysof 320 nm to 400 nm wavelength (UVA, hereinafter, a first ultravioletray), ultraviolet rays of 290 nm to 320 nm wavelength (UVB, hereinafter,a second ultraviolet ray), and ultraviolet rays of 200 nm to 290 nmwavelength (UVC, hereinafter, a third ultraviolet ray).

When it is assumed that a color of the color-changing layer material 570is a first color, when the color-changing layer material 570 cures withthe first ultraviolet ray to form the color-changing layer 170, thecolor-changing layer 170 may change to a second color different from thefirst color.

Further, when the color-changing layer material 570 cures with thesecond ultraviolet ray to form the color-changing layer 170, thecolor-changing layer 170 may change to a third color different from thefirst and second colors.

Further, when the color-changing layer material 570 cures with the thirdultraviolet ray to form the color-changing layer 170, the color-changinglayer 170 may change to a fourth color different from the first to thirdcolors.

Meanwhile, in FIG. 7 , the second to fourth colors of the color-changinglayer 170 are represented as yellow, green, and blue colors,respectively. However, the second to fourth colors of the color-changinglayer 170 are not limited thereto. That is, any colors are available aslong as the 2nd to 4th colors are different from one another. Further,the second to fourth colors may be different from the first color, whichis the color of the color-changing layer material 570.

Thus, the color-changing layer 170 according to embodiments herein mayrepresent different colors depending on wavelength of light for curing,and in particular, a status of the color-changing layer 170 or thedisplay device when a degree of curing is weak or severe can beimmediately determined based on a color of the color-changing layer 170.Therefore, there is provided an advantage of easily perceiving thequality of the color-changing layer 170.

Further, since it is possible to easily determine a wavelength range oflight required for appropriate curing of the color-changing layermaterial 570 (for example, a wavelength range of light for forming thecolor-changing layer 170 with appropriate height and thickness), thereis produced an effect of allowing a corresponding process setting tobecome very simple.

However, the configuration of the color-changing layer 170 according tothe embodiments herein is not limited thereto. The color-changing layer170 may include all of a pigment whose color changes according to atemperature change (hereinafter, referred to as a first pigment), and apigment whose color changes according to a wavelength change of light(hereinafter, referred to as a second pigment).

For example, in the process of forming the color-changing layer 170,when any one of the first to third ultraviolet rays is irradiated to thecolor change layer material 570, the color-changing layer material 570cures, and as a result, the color-changing layer 170 with acorresponding color may be formed due to the second pigment. In thisinstance, the color of the color-changing layer 170 may be determinedaccording to a wavelength of light irradiated during such a process.Further, when high temperature heat is generated from the drivingintegrated circuit 140 while the display device 100 is driven, the colorof the color-changing layer 170 may be changed again due to the firstpigment included in the color-changing layer 170.

Therefore, it is possible to obtain a process temperature when thecolor-changing layer 170 is formed through the second pigment includedin the color-changing layer 170, and identify the generation ofexcessive heat in the driving integrated circuit 140 through the firstpigment included in the color-changing layer 170.

Next, referring to FIG. 8 , a stack structure of the display deviceaccording to aspects of the present disclosure will be reviewed asfollows.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along with line C-D of FIG. 2according to one embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 8 , the display device 100 includes the display panel110 including the lower substrate 120 and the upper substrate 130, thepolarizing plate 135 disposed on the display panel 110, and the drivingintegrated circuit 140 disposed in the non-active area NA of the panel110, the flexible printed circuit 145, the stiffener 150, the coatinglayer 160, the color-changing layer 170, and the antistatic member 180.

In the display device 100 according to embodiments herein with referenceto FIG. 8 , the display panel 110 including the lower substrate 120 andthe upper substrate 130, the polarizing plate 135 disposed on thedisplay panel 110, the driving integrated circuit 140 disposed in thenon-active area NA of the display panel 110, the flexible printedcircuit 145, the stiffener 150, the coating layer 160, thecolor-changing layer 170, and the antistatic member 180 may be equal tothe display panel 110 including the lower substrate 120 and the uppersubstrate 130, the polarizing plate 135 disposed on the display panel110, the driving integrated circuit 140 disposed in the non-active areaNA of the display panel 110, the flexible printed circuit 145, thestiffener 150, the coating layer 160, the color-changing layer 170, andthe antistatic member 180, which are described with reference to FIGS. 1to 4 , respectively.

Referring to FIG. 8 , the display panel 110 of the display device 8 maybe bent in a bending direction in the bending area BA.

In the bending area BA, the coating layer 160 is disposed on the uppersurface of the display panel 110 so that various lines disposed in thebending area BA can be located to be close to a neutral surface.

Meanwhile, in FIG. 8 , when the display device 100 is bent, the drivingintegrated circuit 140 and the flexible printed circuit 143 are shown tocorrespond to the non-active area NA of the display device 100. However,embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. A portionof the flexible printed circuit 143 may overlap at least a portion ofthe active area of the display device 100, and in some instances, theflexible printed circuit 143 and the driving integrated circuit 140 mayoverlap at least a part of the active area.

Referring to FIG. 8 , the polarizing plate 135 may be disposed on anupper surface of the display panel 110.

A first bonding member 820 may be disposed on the polarizing plate 135,and a cover glass 810 may be disposed on the first bonding member 820.

Further, the stiffener 150, the driving integrated circuit 140, theflexible printed circuit 145, the color-changing layer 170, and theantistatic member 180 may be disposed on the upper surface of thedisplay panel 110. As shown in FIG. 8 , when the display panel 110 isbent in the bending area BA, the stiffener 150, the driving integratedcircuit 140, the flexible printed circuit 145, the color-changing layer170, and the antistatic member 180 may be disposed on a rear surface ofa displaying surface of the display panel 110.

The color-changing layer 170 may include a matrix and a pigment, andhave a color.

Further, back films 830 spaced apart from each other are disposed on therear surface of the display panel 110. The back films 830 may bedisposed to be spaced apart from each other, and the bending area BA maybe located between the back films 830.

First and second support members 840 and 850 for supporting the displaypanel 110 may be disposed between the back films 830. The first andsecond support members 840 and 850 may include at least one type ofmetal material (e.g., chromium); however, embodiments of the presentdisclosure are not limited thereto. For example, any other materials areavailable for the first and second support members 840 and 850 as longas such materials are capable of supporting the display panel 110.

In the display device 100 according to embodiments herein, as thedriving integrated circuit 140 is bonded on or over the lower substrate120 of the display panel 110 without a separate substrate or film, it istherefore possible to reduce a size of a region where the drivingintegrated circuit 140 is placed.

Further, by including the color-changing layer 170 surrounding all or atleast a portion of one or more lateral surfaces of the drivingintegrated circuit 140, it is possible to prevent the driving integratedcircuit 140 bonded on the lower substrate 120 from being deformed by anexternal force, or prevent foreign substances such as moisture frompenetrating into the driving integrated circuit 140.

Further, since a process condition of the color-changing layer 170 maybe obtained through a color of the color-changing layer 170 having acolor, when defects occur in the color-changing layer 170, it ispossible to quickly correct incorrect process conditions. Further, sincethe color-changing layer 170 has a color, and a position and a thicknessof the color-changing layer 170 can be checked with the eyes of aninspector, therefore, the quality of the color-changing layer 170 can bechecked without a separate measuring device.

Further, in a situation where the color-changing layer 170 includes twoor more different pigments (their colors are changed depending ontemperature ranges or specific temperatures), when the color-changinglayer 170 is formed, a corresponding process temperature can beobtained, and at the same time, the generation of excessive heat fromthe driving integrated circuit 140 can be also identified.

Further, by including the stiffener 150 disposed to be spaced apart fromthe driving integrated circuit 140 and disposed to surround all, or atleast a portion, of one or more lateral surfaces of the drivingintegrated circuit 140, it is possible to prevent the driving integratedcircuit 140 bonded on the lower substrate 120 from being deformed by anexternal force or from being detached from the lower substrate 120.

The above description has been presented to enable any person skilled inthe art to make and use the invention, and has been provided in thecontext of a particular application and its requirements. Variousmodifications, additions and substitutions to the described embodimentswill be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generalprinciples defined herein may be applied to other embodiments andapplications without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention. Although the exemplary embodiments have been described forillustrative purposes, a person skilled in the art will appreciate thatvarious modifications and applications are possible without departingfrom the essential characteristics of the present disclosure. Forexample, the specific components of the exemplary embodiments may bevariously modified. The above description and the accompanying drawingsprovide an example of the technical idea of the present invention forillustrative purposes only. That is, the disclosed embodiments areintended to illustrate the scope of the technical idea of the presentdisclosure. Thus, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited tothe embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistentwith the claims. The scope of protection of the present disclosure is tobe construed according to the claims, and all technical ideas within thescope of the claims should be interpreted as being included in the scopeof the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display apparatus comprising: a display panelincluding an active area and a non-active area surrounding the activearea; a driving integrated circuit in the non-active area; a polarizingplate extending from the display area to a part of the non-active area;a coating layer on the non-active area, the coating layer between thepolarizing plate and the driving integrated circuit; and a stiffenerspaced apart from the coating layer, the stiffener surrounding at leasta portion of a side surface of the driving integrated circuit.
 2. Thedisplay apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an antistatic memberon at least part of the stiffener and an upper surface of the drivingintegrated circuit.
 3. The display apparatus of claim 2, wherein an areaof the antistatic member is greater than an area of the drivingintegrated circuit.
 4. The display apparatus of claim 2, wherein theantistatic member is on a color-changing layer, and on at least aportion of an upper surface of a flexible printed circuit.
 5. Thedisplay apparatus of claim 4, wherein the antistatic member iselectrically connected to a ground formed in the flexible printedcircuit.
 6. The display apparatus of claim 4, wherein the antistaticmember includes an extension part on one side of the antistatic member.7. The display apparatus of claim 6, wherein the extension part on theflexible printed circuit.
 8. The display apparatus of claim 6, whereinthe extension part is electrically connected the flexible printedcircuit.
 9. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein a thickness of thecoating layer is decreases from a direction in which the polarizingplate is disposed to a direction in which the driving integrated circuitis disposed.
 10. The display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: acolor-changing layer surrounding at least a portion of a side surface ofthe driving integrated circuit.
 11. The display apparatus of claim 10,wherein the color-changing layer overlaps a portion of an upper surfaceof the stiffener.
 12. The display apparatus of claim 10, wherein thecolor-changing layer includes at least one of a first pigment having acolor that changes according to a change in temperature and a secondpigment having a color that changes according to a wavelength change oflight.
 13. The display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first pigmentand the second pigment are different types of pigments whose respectivecolor changes in respective temperature ranges that are different fromeach other.
 14. The display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the firstpigment and the second pigment do not return to original respectivecolors after the original respective colors are changed according to thechange in temperature or the wavelength change of light.
 15. The displayapparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a flexible printed circuit ina portion or a side of a pad area of the display panel, the flexibleprinted circuit spaced apart from the driving integrated circuit. 16.The display apparatus of claim 15, wherein a portion of a color-changinglayer extends from a region corresponding to a lateral surface of thedriving integrated circuit up to a portion of an upper surface of theflexible printed circuit.
 17. The display apparatus of claim 16, whereinthe color-changing layer exposes at least a portion of an upper surfaceof the driving integrated circuit.
 18. The display apparatus of claim 1,wherein the non-active area of the display panel includes a bending areaand a coating layer disposed in the bending area.
 19. The displayapparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a bonding layer between thedriving integrated circuit and the display panel.
 20. The displayapparatus of claim 19, wherein the bonding layer contacts at least aportion of a lateral surface or a lower surface of the drivingintegrated circuit.